Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-12-31
AYEAR'S RECORD,
THE RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION THIS YEAR
Is GREATER THAN ANY PREVIOUS.

THE RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION THIS YEAR
IS GREATER THAN ANY PREVIOUS.
CHICAGO. Ill Dec. 29-The Railway
Age Tomorrow will say: The year 1887
has surpassed al other years in the ex-
tent of railway mileage constructed in the
United States. When six months ago the
prediction YVES made in these columns
that the total new mileage for the year
would not be less than 10000 miles, with
8 likelihood Of surprising the record Ct
1882, the year CT greatest rail-
way construction in the his
t1fy of the county, it was not
generally believed, but figures obtained
by careful investigation throughout the
year, an confirmed by official informa.
tiop, prove the prediction to have been
more than warranted. Our returns show
that in 1887 NO less than 1924 miles Of
new mSin line OF track were added to the
railway system Of the United States, no
account being taken in this of the hun
dreds Of miles Of side track built, nor of
the thousands of miles Of main tracks re-
laid. While the search has been unusu-
ally thorough, and the totals corroborate
the record kept frC N week to week, it is
not improbable that some additions
may yet be received, SO it is safe to say
during 1887 nearly 49, 900 miles of new
main line of track were built. When, in
1882, during the period of extraordinary
activity, IL, 1858 miles OF new road were
built, it WAS believed that these figures
would not again be equsled. In the fol-
lowing year-1S83-the new construction
fell to 6471 miles; in 1884, to 1926, and in
1885 to 360S miles. The year 1886 wit
messed considerable revival of activity,
and 5000 miles of new road were built
the greater milesge than in any
previous year, with the exceptions
of 1881 and 1882, and now 1887 has wit
messed the building OF more miles OF rail
way than 1885 and 1886 combined, and
not much less than 1885, 1884 and 1888
together. A recapitulation Of construc-
ton in the different sections of the coun-
try shows that the greater part of this in
crease of railways has taken place in q
few western states. New England and
New York contribute scarcely anything to
the grand total, the great middle states
very little, and the additions in southern
states are not as large IS many anticipat-
ed, although Alabama presents tiae rec.
ord with 500 miles; Georgia adds
$50 miles; Florida nearly 200, and
Kentucky and North Carolina
each little less than that. The north
west states, including Michigan, Illinois,
Iowa aud Minnesota, have shown very
C considerable activity, but the great rush
of railway building has been in the CEN
tral belt west of the Missouri river.
Kansas leads with 2070 miles 8, Nebraska
with 110l miles, almost equalled by
Texas with 1856 miles. Then in order
come the following: Colorado, SIS;
Dskots, 706; Michigan, 700; Montana,
GIG; Missouri, 554; Indian Territory, 400,
and so on. Four states and two terrific
ries, namely: Kansas, Texas, Nebraska,
Colorado, Dakota and Mon ana, together
show n addition of 6400miles or about half
of the entire years mileage Of the coun-
try. 1t is probably fair TO assume that
the total cost of roadway, bridges, sta
ton buildings, terminal facilities and
equipment of these new lines averaged
S25, Oo0 per mile, ct which rate it appears
that lot far from Ss25.o0o,oo0 have